SEKE - As civil servants vow not to return to work until their salaries are increased, teachers in the area are defying the strike, but are charging students for lessons.Students in Seke communal lands are paying between 50 cents and $2 a week to attend lessons, while those in urban areas are forking out an average of $5 a week.
My child is doing grade one and he has to learn the basics, so I have to make sure that he attends school, said Richard Gwinhi, whose child is enrolled at Murape primary school.
We are teaching for the good of the students, as we know that they are the ones who suffer, while we will also be behind if ever the government is able to increase our salaries, said a teacher at Jonasi secondary school.
The situation is little different in Chitungwiza, where some teachers have decided to go back to work despite their unions call to continue with the strike. Where teachers have stayed away, temporary and student teachers have also taken over.
We are having our lessons every day as our teachers have continued to come, especially the student teachers, said a student at Seke 5 high school.
We are paying a dollar every day for our children. If we do not pay, then our students will miss out, as most of the kids are going to school, said Sharon Matuke, whose child is a student at Tasimukira primary school.
Despite signs of recovery, the education sector has been dealt a heavy blow by the stand-off between teachers who are demanding pay increases that the cash-strapped coalition government does not have.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti says he cannot squeeze money from the rocks, while the 180,000 civil servants are calling upon the government to pay them with money from diamond sales from Chiadzwa.
Post published in: News